Following a tour of SunLine Transit’s Sunfuels Fueling Station in Thousand Palms, CA Federal Transit Administrator James Simpson and Congresswoman Mary Bono announced $49 million in federal grants for researchers around the country to explore new ways to make commercially viable hydrogen fuel cell buses a reality.  

Three nonprofit organizations from around the country were competitively selected by the FTA to receive a share of the $49 million: the Center for Transportation and the Environment in Atlanta, the Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium in Boston and Westart/CALSTART of Pasadena, California. 

“By funding this program, Congress has allowed the transit industry to continue its long tradition as an innovator in the areas of alternative fuels and technology,” said FTA Administrator James Simpson. “Through this national program, we can consolidate—and accelerate—the process of making hydrogen buses commercially feasible as cleaner, more energy efficient alternatives”. 

Simpson said that Hydrogen fuel cell buses offer zero-emissions transportation in some of the nation’s most congested corridors, reducing potential health risks to the general population.  Also, transit officials expect that clean, quiet, energy-efficient transit buses will enhance the attractiveness of public transportation, lead to increased ridership, and move the nation toward energy independence.

As one of the champions for the new program Congresswoman Mary Bono (R-CA) stated "The expansion and use of fuel cell and hydrogen technology is a necessary and innovative step to significantly reduce dependency on foreign oil.  Americans and Congress must continue to support legislation that strengthens any efforts to diversify our nation's energy portfolio."

Another champion for the program, Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) said “Today, I welcome the progress that the FTA is making with the award of grants under the National Fuel Cell Bus Program.  Fuel cells are an important enabling technology that has the potential to reduce America’s dependency on fossil fuels.  This program will help accelerate the successful commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell propulsion for the transportation industry.”

Simpson noted that SunLine Transit, along with its research partners will receive $2.8 million to design and demonstrate 40-foot fuel cell buses, and to evaluate their performance in a hot desert climate.  SunLine is also among those receiving $3.6 million to test the life expectancy of an existing line of fuel cell buses.

Another example on the East Coast includes the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).  WMATA and with its research partners will receive $8.4 million for advanced bus development and in-service evaluation of hybrid fuel cell buses.

The multimillion dollar national grant announcement was made possible through the National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development Program, which was part of the recently enacted Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).  

Full list of the 3 organizations awarded grants including their partners and specific participants.

Center for Transportation and the Environment

Project Title: Dual Variable Output Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus Validation and Testing 

Gov’t Share: $5,668,000

Description: Develop battery-dominant 35-foot plug-in hybrid fuel cell bus (Hydrogenics) and demonstrate in Birmingham, Columbia, SC and in cities in CT.

Partners: Birmingham Jefferson County Transit, Birmingham, AL
 CT Transit, Hartford and New Haven, CT
 Central Midlands RTA, Columbia, SC
 Innovation Drive; Mobile Energy Solutions; Hydrogenics; Sabre Engineering; U. of Alabama Birmingham; Central Alabama Clean Cities; Greater New Haven Clean Cities; Columbia Central Midlands RTA; South Carolina Research Authority; University of South Carolina
 
Project Title: Survey and Analysis of Bus Demonstrations

Gov’t Share: $84,000

Description: Document and analysis of bus demonstrations around the world from 2002-2007

Partners: Breakthrough Technologies Inst.; PE Europe; Western Australia Dept of Planning & Infrastructure

Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium

Project Title: WMATA/UTC Power Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration

Gov’t Share: $8,355,000

Description: Advanced bus development and in-service evaluation of hybrid 40-foot fuel cell buses.  Enhanced UTC 120 kW Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell with upgraded seals, catalysts, bipolar plates, balance of plant.

Partners: Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA), Washington, DC
 Ballard; ISE Corp; New Flyer; Shell Hydrogen; Booz Allen Hamilton

Project Title: Lightweight Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus 

Gov’t Share: $6,695,000

Description: Develop advanced propulsion system and integrate on mule bus then lightweight bus platform with field evaluation. Ballard Mark 1100 Light Duty fuel cell Module, (75 kW) with ultracapacitors or Lithium-ion batteries.

Partners: New York Power Authority, White Plains, NY
 GE Research; Ballard; A123 Systems

Project Title: Massachusetts Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Bus Fleet 

Gov’t Share: $4,875,000

Description: Advanced bus development and in service demonstration.  Integrate  Nuvera 82 kW fuel cell with rive system from ISE Corp., and advanced energy storage. Demonstration effort includes Nuvera’s novel PowerTap  refueling infrastructure.

Partners: Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), Boston, MA
 MBTA, Boston, MA 
 Nuvera Fuel Cells; ISE Corp.; Keyspan; AVSG

Project Title: WMATA/Ballard Fuel Cell Bus Program 

Gov’t Share: $6,120,000

Description: Develop and demonstrate 40-foot buses – one prototype and one pre-commercial bus for up to 2 years.  Bus may possibly benefit from similar design to 2010 BC Transit design for Olympics; Next generation Ballard 155 KW automotive fuel cell stack (Mk902) in hybrid configuration with ISE drive ultracapacitors or batteries.

Partners: Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA), Washington, DC
 Ballard; ISE Corp; New Flyer; Shell Hydrogen; Booz Allen Hamilton

Project Title: FTA National Fuel Cell Bus Working Group 

Gov’t Share: $500,000

Description: Support for FTA U.S. Fuel Cell Bus Working Groups and data collection efforts

Partners: Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium

Project Title: International Fuel Cell Bus Working Group and Workshops 

Gov’t Share:  $400,000

Description: Coordinate activities for International Fuel Cell Working Group and collaboration and outreach efforts for international fuel cell bus demonstration efforts 

Partners: Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium
 

Project Title: International Fuel Cell Bus Workshops 

Gov’t Share: $255,000

Description: Conduct workshop once per year from 2007-2010

Partners: Electric Drive Transportation Association
 

Weststart CALSTART

Project Title: American Advanced Fuel Cell Bus Program 

Gov’t Share: $2,832,000

Description: Design and demonstrate 40-foot fuel cell bus with design improvements; in service evaluation in hot desert climate

Partners: SunLine Transit Agency, Thousand Palms, CA
 New Flyer Industries; ISE Corp.; UTC Fuel Cells

Project Title: Compound Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus for 2010  

Gov’t Share: $5,350,000

Description: Develop 40-foot fuel cell bus with fuel cell auxililary power unit coupled with diesel engine.  Demonstrate  for one year at San Francisco MUNI.  Small Hydrogenics Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) FC (12KW twin or 16 KW), BAE drive, electrically driven accessories, advanced energy storage.

Partners: San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, San Francisco, CA
BAE Systems; Hydrogenics; DaimlerChrysler - Orion; Westport Innovations; Lincoln Compoosites; Engineered Machine Products

Project Title: AC Transit HyRoad: Commercialization of Fuel Cells for Public Transit

Gov’t Share: $3,575,000

Description: Accelerated testing to failure (partial phase 1) of existing fuel cell buses

Partners: Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), Oakland, CA
 SunLine Transit Agency, Thousand Palms, CA
Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission; UTC Power; ISE Corp.; Van Hool Bus manufactuerer.

Project Title: Hybrid Fuel Cell Power Converter 

Gov’t Share: $152,550

Description: Design and bench-test bi-directional, DC-DC converter for reduced cost, weight, and volume

Partners: US Hybrid; ISE Corp.; Hydrogenics; UTC Power

Project Title: Integrated Auxiliary Module for Fuel Cell Buses 

Gov’t Share: $138,450

Description: Design, fabricate, and bench test Integrated Auxiliary Module

Partners: US Hybrid, integrators (TBD)